This invention is directed to an automatic sample preparation device, and more particularly to such a device for use with flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy, such as, for example, one where the samples which are to be analyzed one after the other for a definite element, are provided with stepped, metered additions of the element to be analyzed.
It will be appreciated that, in spectroscopic analysis of samples of different origins for specific components, errors of the measured values may be caused by additions, depending on the origin of the sample. This prevents a calibration curve, established for the analytical determination of a given component in a sample obtained from a specific origin, from being transferred to a sample from another origin. The problems occurring in such cases were normally overcome by the addition to the sample of known quantities of the component to be analyzed, and by extrapolating from the values thus obtained to the contents of the element concerned in the sample at zero addition. See, for example, the publication entitled, "Analysentechnische Berichte", No. 32, (1974), page 10. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,268 issued Oct. 9, 1973 contains disclosure related to this art.
However, the above procedure was very time-consuming and inconvenient when a great number of samples had to be handled. The purpose of this invention consists in providing a device for automating this procedure.